This is a simple browser extension that blocks trackers and protects you from data collection. It is made by a non-profit called the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), and is their best-known extension. Privacy Badger blocks ads, social widgets, and analytics trackers.

What is a tracker?

Imagine that you are browsing the web, and a tracking cookie comes along with an advertisement. The advertisement is tracking you, but you don’t know why. The advertiser is recording the websites you visit to understand what you like and to target you with future advertisements. But you don’t want to be tracked.

So, you block the advertising network from using this tracking cookie. But now the advertisement has to work harder to track you. Instead of just connecting your phone and watching a video, it has to send you a separate request and wait for a reply. This makes the advertisement track you more.

Privacy Badger blocks trackers based on their behavior, not on their names. If it finds an advertisement that is tracking you, it blocks it. Privacy Badger has privacy controls for you to opt-out of data sharing and selling and to tell companies not to track you.